Good value builder

Metrostrata are a cheapish builder and quality was fair but i was quite surprised by the speed to get contracts and then start building and no hidden surprises. Obviously this varies on a case by case basis and other people may have a different opinion. The site supervisor was very friendly and knowledgeable and helped me do the PCI report to find all the missing items the 3rd party building inspector didnt find.

I think if you have development approval they charge the builder 2% commission which may be passed onto you in the final price. Best to check with Colin as the fees and who pays does vary.

Either way i think the building companies are happy to use the broker because if you signed up with their own builder reps then building company would still pay the 2% commission.

 

I don't have a crystal ball and it's just my opinion everyone has one.....some are buying in Perth.

I am playing in Melb which is a strong market, Perth is far riskier proposition. Keep reading and researching

 

Its a commission paid by the builder similar to bank paying commission to a broker. I dont think it will be cheaper as they are aware of the tricks builders use to wring more money from punters pockets. Once again similar to having a good and ethical broker on your side who will keep the banks honest and competitive. A meeting would be the best way to make a call on which way to go.

Thats pretty much how it works ^^^^^ from my understanding.

If it is passed on as an actual commission its irrelevant if you got a good deal in comparison to going direct to builder.

 

I have priced up just the subdivision of my own place, and it is ideal for it with minimal demolition and no change to existing front house.

Allow $30k.

Ventura ID are headhunting for a new Construction Manager, for reasons I am not sure of. This is a little bit of a concern as should you have issues the guy in charge may be a bit green to the role (or the role may be vacant/being covered by someone). Not a huge deal, but something to consider.

 

I went through a building broker because I couldn't sort the horror stories from the decent builders.. was a total waste of time for me. In hind-sight I should have paid a drafty the ~$10/sq.m to draw up my fully detailed plans and paid an engineer for the civil/structural stuff.

My build was still stupidly frustrating for me. The builder hired a new construction manager just after I got my keys. He basically sacked all the dead-wood that had cause me grief, (contracts manager, pre-start consultants, and supervisor) and the company response to fixing all the corrective stuff was pretty good. I also have to say that the build quality and finish quality are pretty damn good once everything was in the right place.

If I build again, I dare say I'll be owner-building.

 

What company was it?

 

Can you share more details to me , interested in the cost for water and electricity. In my case i only need to move the patio. Also, does the fence need to be up before subdivision is granted? I am planning to do the fencing just before i am starting to build, so my current tenant can still enjoy the big back yard.

 

Sent you a PM.. I think..

 

Well my costs may not be relevant to you, as I already have a power dome. Allow about $1500 for a new water meter. $2500 ish if you need a new power dome + $100 per lm to get it to the new block.

 

Somewhere on here is a break down of Perth subdivisions to make a single block into 2. Basically it was around $20k for all the surveying, govt titles and infrastructure (additional water, power etc) but that doesn't include demolition or fencing.
If you do a quick search on here you'll find it as I dug out all quotes etc and wrote it quite detailed.

Due to the size of your block you get the bonus of cheaper building construction as you shoudn't need to build to boundary, shouldn't need to have complicated shapes or rooflines. You could of course spend more but you don't need to and you need to be aware of the limitations to how much someone is willing to then pay for the end product in Parkwood.

 

Thank you for the advise westminister. Ill start looking at it now. My plan is to keep the old house, build budget 4x2 rear block and renovate the front old house.

Also Westminister, how much do you think 4x2 in 450m2 rear block parkwood worth (value) mid spec. I am hoping overall project cost around 250k, i know it will be difficult.

 

I'm guessing around the $450-475k mark for end value but it's quite hard to price as most rear blocks are smaller and I don't know the part of Parkwood - some bits are nicer than others.
It really depends on how good looking the front house is as the worse that is the more the rear house will struggle to get a good price.
Also consider how much money could be made by simply selling off the rear block - it may fetch $250-300k in which case it would be better to sell it off as land than as a house

 

Thats the biggest drama i have . My valuation is actually 500k, but so hard to prove if it is right (especially in today economy?).

I might go with build and rent strategy. (Hopefully i get good depreciation for new house). Really appreciate your thought. I'll stop hassling you for now.

 

Using a building broker for me was a waste a money. I would just spend the time meeting with builders and discussing with them direct.

Ben Trager homes has some nice designs. Ive never used them, but have looked at a few of their houses. They seem fairly affordable for what you get.

Blacky

 

Are they small builder? Would happy to use small builder (with lower head cost) to get good value house.

 

They are not small by any means, one of the larger building groups in WA. I've been in the building industry for over 10yrs with both boutique and project builders and all I can say is it's definitely worth doing your research and getting some comparable quotes.

Happy to answer any other queries and point you in the right direction if you like, PM me anytime.

 

Thank you lifes good, in process in getting multiple quotes. Will def pm you shortly